1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to decorative laminate flooring panels. More particularly, the invention relates to a connection system for decorative laminate flooring panels wherein the end seams and side seams of adjacent panels are connected in different manners such that the end seam connectors may be engineered differently from side seam connectors to provide for the different features of the side seams and end seams. In addition, the invention relates to a connector utilized in connecting decorative laminate flooring panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Decorative laminates have found widespread use as their ability to replicate natural materials has improved over the years. For example, decorative laminates are commonly used as replacements for natural materials in the construction of flooring, furniture, cabinets, and countertops. In each of these applications, a decorative surfacing layer is bonded to a substrate, namely, plywood, particleboard, chipboard, medium density fiberboard, etc., for added structural stability. The term “corestock” is used throughout the body of the present application to generally describe the various wood-based substrates used in the fabrication of decorative laminate panels.
In particular, decorative laminates have found widespread use in flooring products as a replacement for traditional hardwood floors. Early decorative laminate flooring systems relied upon traditional tongue and groove connections held together through the application of adhesive within the joint linking adjacent flooring panels. Although these tongue and groove glue connections provided a sound flooring surface, the use of glue for bonding adjacent flooring panels made the installation of laminate flooring systems time consuming and messy.
Recent developments in laminate flooring systems have lead to the introduction of “glueless” flooring systems. These flooring systems rely upon various mechanical coupling profiles for connecting adjacent flooring panels without the need for the time and mess associated with previous glue based systems.
However, these glueless flooring systems also have shortcomings. For example, many of these systems, while providing a secure connection between adjacent flooring panels, do not permit the ready separation of flooring panels in the event it is necessary to remove all or a portion of the flooring surface in the event damage to the flooring surface necessitates the replacement of the flooring surface. In addition, many connection systems require that the flooring panels be positioned in awkward configurations during the installation process, making it time consuming and highly difficult to complete installation when the flooring panels are installed in tight or irregular spaces.
In addition to the problems associated with the installation of decorative laminate flooring systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate the various problems encountered even after the flooring panels are properly installed. One common problem is disengagement of constrained flooring panels along the end seam (i.e., the seam along the short edge of a rectangular flooring panel). This is caused when downward pressure along the end seams of the flooring panels causes the flooring panels to shift in a manner that detrimentally affects the holding power of the mechanical connection. It is believed the propensity for disengagement along the end seams is a result of the fact that the ends seams are substantially shorter than the side seams, and consequently offer less surface area for the creation of very strong mechanical connections. The limited holding strength becomes apparent when the flooring panels shift under the pressures associated with normal usage, for example, downward application of force along the end seams, lateral force generated by shifting flooring panels, lateral force generated by the expansion and contraction of the flooring panels, etc. Since the vast majority of flooring systems rely upon the same type of mechanical connection along both the end seam and the side seam, the limited strength of the mechanical connections along the end seam are not commonly compensated for when the flooring panels are installed upon a support surface.
With the foregoing in mind, current decorative laminate flooring systems exhibit a variety of shortcomings and the present invention overcomes these shortcomings by providing a unique connection structure which accommodates the need for additional holding power along the end seams of flooring panels.